


i need to be youthfully felt ‘cause, god, i never felt young

by sapphfics



Category: Barbie - All Media Types, Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper (2004), Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses (2006)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Crossover Pairings, F/F, Femslash, First Meetings, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 13:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19110832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphfics/pseuds/sapphfics
Summary: As the eldest child, Ashlyn has always known she would be the first to leave her home once her father had found her a match. It doesn’t make it any easier.





	i need to be youthfully felt ‘cause, god, i never felt young

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SkyRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyRose/gifts).
  * Inspired by [endless flow](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19107040) by [SkyRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyRose/pseuds/SkyRose). 



> References 
> 
> • [This](https://barbiemovies.fandom.com/wiki/Princess_Ashlyn) is Ashlyn 
> 
> • [This](https://images.app.goo.gl/rFRD8fBLTg3aN6MJ8) is Anneliese's ring 
> 
> • [This](https://images.app.goo.gl/QLRZcTvHE5ESFixc8) is Ashlyn’s ring
> 
> • It was really bothering me that only Dominick’s kingdom has a name, so I named the kingdoms. Anneliese's kingdom is named Gaphate, and Ashlyn’s kingdom is named Briwyth. 
> 
> • I took the title from the [Hozier lyric generator](http://www.generatorland.com/usergenerator.aspx?id=22501)

As the eldest child, Ashlyn has always known she would be the first to leave her home once her father had found her a match. It doesn’t make it any easier. 

_It could be worse,_ she thinks. _I could be marrying a man._

She has more than enough sisters to justify being the eldest and marrying a woman, but the guilt still lays heavy on her. 

Ashlyn knows she could have easily married far sooner than twenty-two, but she never accepted any proposals. If men were insufferable, entitled princes were even more so. She had avoided telling her father for as long as she could. He has too many daughters to know what they get up to in the dead of night. The furthest she ever went was with her favourite handmaiden who offered to kiss her as practise for her future husband. But once Genevieve finally married Derek, there was no excuse anymore. 

_At least the match is still political,_ she thinks. _Princess Anneliese’s kingdom, Gaphate, has fallen into financial ruin. With this marriage, and our family’s money, I will be doing them a great favour._

Money cannot buy love, she knows, but she hopes that giving the commoners bread to eat might make them less likely to murder her for marrying their crown princess and being a woman who cannot give her trueborn children. 

She glances in the mirror as a carriage pulls up outside. Of all her sisters, she is the one who most resembles their mother. She wishes she had gotten the chance to ask her mother about how she felt upon leaving her home before she died, but Ashlyn knows their lives must run parallel. It gives her a small comfort. 

Would her mother still accept her when she is marrying another woman? Even if they learn to love one another as she and father did? 

She will never know the answer, and it bothers her more than she will ever admit. She walks through her home for the last time. She feels nervous. 

As was custom, a portrait of herself was painted and sent to Princess Anneliese, so she would not be completely in the dark at least in regards to her betrothed’s appearance. The one Ashlyn has of Princess Anneliese is framed beside the paintings of her family. She is as beautiful as the messenger said, but after Rowena, Ashlyn has learned that beauty does not equate to goodness. The pink gown Anneliese wore in the painting brought out her eyes, as did the rose clutched between her hands. As Ashlyn walks by, she can swear she sees the eyes in her mother’s portrait move. She hopes this is not a sign of madness. 

The portrait came with a letter from the Princess herself, and it was scented with rose. Even her handwriting is striking, it’s almost unfair. Ashlyn reads it again as she goes, having picked up this skill from Courtney. The paper is worn and crumpled slightly in her pocket, but she can read it well enough. 

_Dear Crown Princess Ashlyn of Briwyth,_

_Please forgive the formalities in my address. I am not as dull as I am certain I appear on paper. Your portrait is beautiful, as I am certain you are. I must admit, I was rather surprised at how well my mother took to this particular match, but since we are so near one another already, it makes sense. I have not yet visited your kingdom, but I have been looking at it from my balcony my whole life. Even from the distance, it is enchanting. I have much hope regarding our meeting, three weeks hence, and I hope to be a good wife to you in all the ways that matter most._

_From,_

_Princess Anneliese of Gaphate_

Ashlyn smiles to herself again, just as she did the first time she read it. Genevieve had been there when she had read it for the twentieth time, as they were packing up Genevieve’s belongings to move them into her and Derek’s chambers, and her sister didn’t miss her chance to proclaim “Ashlyn’s got it bad!” Ashlyn had thrown a pillow at her for that. 

With the ascension of King Dominick of Dulcenia, Ashlyn knows she’s lucky to have this. Amidst the nervousness, she can’t help but feel a little bit excited. Princess Anneliese must at least like women the same way she does, because she could so easily refuse this on account of Ashlyn not being a man. 

Arranged marriages rarely have happy beginnings, she knows, but this is at least hopeful. 

Briar and Courtney will accompanying her to Gaphate. The two of them have a wedding to attend afterwards, in Apollonia. Ashlyn said her goodbyes to the rest of her family long before the carriage arrived, and it is only Genevieve and Twyla who stay long enough to see her off. Now she’s married, Genevieve should really be moved out of the castle, but their father is having trouble getting out of bed again, and she won’t leave him. Besides, she knows that her sister doesn’t want to live anywhere else. 

Ashlyn wants to see a little bit of the world. A kingdom that resides on the top of a mountain seems the best course of action.

The man who steps out of the carriage is polite. “I’m Julian, I am the Princess’s lifelong friend and tutor. She wanted us to meet first.”

She shakes his hand, but doesn’t miss the flicker of sadness when he says friend. She hopes he doesn’t resent her for stealing Anneliese away.

Not that she’s done that, yet.

The ring she is meant to give to Anneliese sits in her pocket with the letter. It had been her mother’s before her father had entrusted it to her, and she keeps it hidden in the secret pockets she had sewn into her dresses even though Rowena was long gone. 

She is riding in the carriage with Julian alone. She should probably show it to him, but he is currently regaling her with tales of Anneliese as a child. She‘s willing to let him talk the whole carriage ride there, because his voice is nice and she feels she doesn’t have much to offer. 

“What about you?” Julian asks, suddenly. “Surely, with eleven sisters, you must have some tales of your own to share?”

“Well,” Ashlyn says. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” 

“Try me,” Julian says. 

“We all love to dance,” Ashlyn starts. “I play the flute, too. And when we were miserable, we found a passageway in our bedroom, and tried to run away from...someone cruel. But we came back, and it’s all fine.”

“I heard about Rowena.” Julian says. It’s surprises her. She didn’t think the people of Gaphate cared much what happened in Briwyth, but she supposes a near regicide must matter. 

“I was nice to her at first,” Ashlyn says, regretfully. “Don’t pity me, please. I didn’t get the worst of it. I should have been protecting my sisters.”

“For what it’s worth,” Julian says. “I’m sorry that happened to you, to all of you. I’m glad you’re still here. Anneliese is excited to meet you.”

“It’s alright,” Ashlyn says. “I’m excited to meet her too.” 

-:-

Anneliese is more beautiful than her portrait could ever hope to display. It’s almost as hard to look at her as it is to look away from her. She is sitting on her mother’s throne, a book beside her. 

Ashlyn bows before her. 

“Princess Anneliese, I am Princess Ashlyn of Briwyth,” She says. “Your portrait does not do you justice.” 

“Nor does yours,” Anneliese smiles. “Please, call me Anneliese.” 

As Ashlyn had hoped, Anneliese loves the ring. 

“Rhodolite garnet,” Anneliese comments excitedly. She presents Ashlyn with her own ring. 

“It’s beautiful,” Ashlyn says, letting Anneliese slip it on her finger. “But I’m afraid I don’t know as much about geology as you.” 

“The stone is called moissanite,” Anneliese explains. “It shines brighter than any diamond. Fitting.” 

Briar coughs. Ashlyn had been so lost in Anneliese’s presence she had almost forgotten her sisters were there. 

“Oh! Anneliese, these are two of my sisters,” She says. “Briar and Courtney.” 

“How lovely to meet you, Anneliese.” Briar bows, before striding over to Anneliese. She talks quickly and quietly. “I swear, my sister is worse than our brother in law Derek, and he took fifteen years to admit he was in love with our little sister.” 

“I’m sure we won’t have to wait that long,” Courtney says from behind her. “Not here, at least.” 

Ashlyn is going to kill them. 

Anneliese, to her surprise, only smiles brighter. “I certainly hope not.”

**Author's Note:**

> hope this isn’t too bad!! i’m working on an anneliese/erika au so that should be coming soon!! you can hit me up on [tumblr](https://sansaisalesbian.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/lesbosansastark) if you feel like it <3 <333


End file.
